Wheel mounting



Jan. 22, 1957' R. A. IRWIN WHEEL MOUNTING Filed March 31, 1954 I I e u United States Patent WHEEL MOUNTING Raymond A. Irwin,

Manitowoc, Wis., assignor to Kaysun, Inc Manitowoc,

This invention relates to wheels, for toy and, model vehicles, especially those molded ofpl'astic material, and refers more particularly to means for rotatably mounting and retaining wheels on the axles of such vehicles.

There has long been a need forasatisfactory means for retaining a plastic wheel on its axle on such vehicles as toy and scale model automobiles, race cars, airplanes, carriages and the like. Such vehicles are frequently sold in kit'form, an example being the, kits, for plastic. scale models ofantiqueautomobiles which are enjoying Widespread popularity.

Heretofore the builder of such a kit was usually required to perform some diflicult or messy operation in order to secure the wheels onto the axles. For example, he may have been required to cement a retainer in place on the outer end of the axle to prevent the wheel from of the axle, as result. Either since the users of such kits by heating the same, to accomplish this expedient was unsatisfactory,

would not turn.

Obviously, the same manufacture of no mechanical skill tually foolproof.

It is accordingly, an object of the provide a construction whereby a plastic wheel for a the necessity for deforming the axle or installing a separate retaining member thereon.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a detent-like retainer for a plastic wheel of the character described which permits installation of the wheel on an axle by merely pressing the wheel onto the axle.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of means for rotatably mounting a plastic wheel on a toy or miniature vehicle, which utilizes the resilience of the plastic material from which the wheel is fashioned to provide a detent-like connection between the wheel and axle, and which connection, because it does not depend upon a separate retaining element or deformation of the axle, endows the wheel hub with a very realistic appearance simulating the hub-cap of a full scale vehicle.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment 'of'the hcreindisclosed invention may be made as come. withi'n'the scope of the claim.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and which:

Figure 1 is a perspective. view of a wheel. in position to be assembled onto an axle, the wheel and axle. being provided with the retaining means of this. invention;

Figure 2. is. a radial sectional view through: the wheel and showing the same in an initial position, of assembly with the axle;

Figure 3. is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the connection between the wheel and the axle in the act of being completed; and

Figure, 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the wheel properly mounted on the axle.

Referring now more drawing, the numeral 5 deslgnates generally a wheel of impact styrene or acetate.

The wheel may of course have any of a wide variety of forms other than that shown, but in any event it has a hub portion 7 which in this instance is shown as proside of the wheel. A bore 8 of At its axially outer end the hub has an integral inturned annular lip or flange 10 which provides one element of the connection by which the wheel is held on the axle. The other element of this connection comprises an integral button-like axial extension 11 on the axle.

bore of the lip as not to interfere with free rotation of the wheel.

With the wheel installed as shown in Figure 4, outward axial displacement thereof is prevented by the outer face of the hub bearing against the abrupt shoulder 15 formed by the underside of the head 12.

It will thus be seen that the wheel may be installed on the axle by simply pressing the wheel onto the axle as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Considerable axial pressure will of course be required to snap the flange or lip 10 over the head 12 of the button-like extension, but this part of the operation is facilitated by rounding the axially outer end of the head and tapering the bore of the flange, as at 14, so that the flange cams itself over the head. The

the hub and the flange enables the bore of the flange to carried or snapped over the head.

of the hub abuts, and which in this instance simulates a brake drum. The wheel is thus axially confined between the head 12 and the shoulder 16 and since both of these surfaces and also the facing portions of the wheel are normal to the wheel axis the wheel is held in place in a manner not subject to binding as wouldbe the case if the inclined inner end 14 of the flange were relied upon to define part of the means for holding the wheel in its proper position.

From the foregoing description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, it will be readliy apparent that this invention provides an extremely simple and eflicient manner of securing a wheel on the axle of a toy or model vehicle without interfering with its free rotation on the axle, and without necessitating deformation of the axle or the installation of a separate retaining member, so that the wheel hub has a neat and realistic appearance.

What I claim as my invention is:

Means for retaining a wheel molded of plastic material on an axle of a toy vehicle comprising: a hub forming an integral part of the wheel and extending a substantial distance out from one side of the wheel, said hub having a bore therethrough slightly larger in diameter than the axle so that the wheel has a smooth running fit on the axle, the wall of the hub being relatively thin and of substantially uniform cross section throughout the length thereof; an integral radially inturned relatively thin-walled flange on the axially outer end of the hub, said hub and flange by virtue of their relatively thin walls and the fact that they are formed of plastic material being slightly resilient to permit slight expansion of the aperture defined by the flange; and a coaxial button-like extension on the outer end of the axle, the neck portion of which has a diameter substantially smaller than that of the axle and slightly smaller than the normal size of the aperture defined by the flange, and the head of said extension having a diameter slightly larger than that of the normal size of the aperture defined by said flange and being taperedat its outer end so that the flange aperture may be momentarily expanded by camming co-operation between the flange and the tapered outer end of the head, to permit the wheel to be axially pushed onto the axle with a detent-like action to a position in which the flange encircles the neck portion of said extension and axially outward displacement of the wheel ofi of the axle is precluded by engagement of the outer face of the flange with the underside of the head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,057 Parker Nov. 19, 1901 1,046,549 Bridges Dec. 10, 1912 1,856,538 Case May 3, 1932 2,597,588 Manoil May 20, 1952 

